It didn't take long for Revelstoke's Rodger Kessler to fall in love with the Brier.

"It's the best time you will ever have anywhere in Canada," said Kessler, who attended his 15th brier this week, inside Prospera Place in Kelowna.

Wearing a British Columbia flag as his shirt, the Revelstoke native was joined by his wife on Thursday, March 6, for the Canadian men's curling championships.

"I've probably met around 50 people in this room today that I've met at other Briers, and I'll probably run into the same people again next year when it goes to Newfoundland," Kessler said. "It's a great place to be and brings everyone from the country into one spot."

The Revelstoke couple first took in the event as volunteers in 1996, when it came to Kamloops. Their Brier journey in the 29 years since has taken them to St. Johns, Halifax, Edmonton, Calgary, and Saskatoon, among other cities.

"We were hooked quickly because right after the Brier was in Kamloops in the 1990s, it was in Calgary which is pretty close to where we live in Revelstoke," Kessler said. "You can't help but have fun at the Brier."

Kessler says Kelowna's had a friendly feel all week long for the 2025 Montana's Brier, which wraps up Sunday, March 9.

"Everyone's got their team that they cheer on," he said about his beloved Team B.C. squad. "The teams you see in the Brier now are at the very top of their game, so to see that up close in the arena setting is pretty awesome."

Also among the thousands travelling to Kelowna for this week's championships were Saskatoon couple Mervyn and Patricia Arcand.

"We already like curling, but then to come here and meet so many different people is also nice," Mervyn said. "We've been coming to curling events for 25 years."

Eighteen teams from all provinces and territories are in action.

The total purse for the event is $300,000, with the first-place winners set to take home $108,000.

Team British Columbia, led by skip Cameron De Jong from the Victoria Curling Club, has played in Pool A.

Playoff action at Montana's Brier in Kelowna begins Friday, March 7. Six teams will qualify, three in each pool, with a champion set to be crowned on Sunday.

Check back to the Kelowna Capital News for updates.